Rack for nursing bottles



w. D. TEAGUE Erm. 2,690,003

RACK Foa NURSING BOTTLES l oiginal Filed July so, 1948..

spt. 2s, 19514 Patented Sept. 28, 1954 n 2,690,003 RACK FOR NURSING BOTTLES Walter Dorwin Teague, Annandale, N. J., and Gordon M. Peltz, Kew Gardens, and Milton Immermann, Piermont, N. Y., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Continental Can Company. Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York f Original application July 30, 1948, Serial No. 41,554, now Patent No. 2,604,222, dated July 22, 1952. lDivided and this application January 18, 1951, Serial No. 206,604

3 Claims. (Cl. 251-288) This invention relates to improvements in nursing units of the type which comprises a flanged nipple and a disposable container member and is more particularly concerned with a rack for use in assemblying the nipple and the container member and thereafter supporting one or more of the filled nursing units in a refrigerator or other storage compartment.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 41,554, filed July 30, 1948, for a Nursing Unit and Method and Apparatus for Assembling the Same, now Patent No. 2,604,222 issued July 22, 1952. v

It is a general objectv of the invention to provide a supporting rack which is adapted to facilitate the assembling and filling of a nursing unit which is characterized by a flexible disposable bottle, a flanged nipple, and ring members for connecting the margins of the bottle with the ange on the nipple in-fluid-tight relationship.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a stand for use in assembling and supporting nursing units of the type which is characterized by a disposable container of flexible material, a connecting ring and a nursing nipple having a base flange terminating in a reversible clamping skirt for securing the top marginsof the vcontainer over the connecting ring and in communicating relation with the nipple, which stand comprises a generally rectangular open frame having a flange member projecting upwardly from the top thereof and provided with a peripheral recess in the outer edge in which a connecting ring is adapted to be seated while the marginal portions of the flexible container top are folded thereover and the nursing nipple is secured thereto by the clamping skirt provided on the nursing nipple.

Another object of the invention is to provide in apparatus for assembling a flexible disposable nursing bottle in communicating relationship with a nursing nipple having a depending reversible skirt thereon, a stand having an upwardly extending shoulder formation thereon for supporting an inner attaching ring in position for placing thereover in outwardly folded relation the marginal edges of the bottle whereby to permit the nursing nipple to be secured over the bottle top by moving the reversible skirt into position around the folded portion of the bottle to clamp the same into fluid-type relationship on the attaching ring.

'Ihese and other objects of the invention Will be apparent from a consideration of thev rack which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation of a rack adapted for use in assembling and thereafter supporting a nursing unit which rack incorporates therein the principle features of the ,in-

vention;

Fig. 2v is an end elevation of the supporting rack;

Fig. 3 is a4 partial plan view of the supportin rack; and

Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary sections illustrating the manner of using the rack for assembling the nursing unit.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a support unit or rack which incorporates therein the principles of the invention and which is adapted for use in assembling a nursing unit of the character disclosed in the parent application Serial No. 41,554.

The nursing unit with which the rack is adapted vto be used comprises a bottle member lliV which is formed of transparent sheet material into flattened tubular shape and sealed at one end with the other end open for reception of the nursing fluid and for connection with a nursing nipple I2. The open end of the bottle member I0 is formed with a diameter which will permit the top or mouth portions to be folded out and over and down around the outer periphery of an inner rigid attaching or securing sing Il.

The attaching ring II, which is preferably formed of metal or other rigid kmaterial II, whichvis preferably formed of metal or other rigid material, is of relatively small cross section providing an outer peripheral face I4 which constitutes one of the clamping surfaces for securing the container top and the nipple I2.

The nursing nipple I2, which is formed of rubber-like material, is of the wide base type and is provided with an integral flange or skirt portion I5 which is reversible about a hinge line IS where it connects with the base of the nipple. The skirt portion I5 is provided with a groove I1 adjacent the upper extremity and on the internal surface when the skirt is in depending position, which groove I'I is of a Width corresponding approximately to the depth of the attaching ring II and is relatively shallow.'-

The nursing unit may also include an outer clamping ring or band I3 of relatively rigid material which is adapted to be positioned over the flange I5 of the nipple I2 when it is in downturned bottle top clamping relation.

The supporting rack (Figs. 1 to 3) may comprise a plurality of duplicate units for assembling and supporting any desired number of the nursing devices. `For the purposes of illustration only an end section or unit is shown in the drawings. xIt will be understood that rany number of duplicate units may be incorporated in'the rack.

The supporting rack comprises a pair of laterally spaced upright open frame members 33 which are connected at the base by'crosspieces 34 and at the top by cross pieces 435. The frack -is provided on the top with upstanding `flanges -36 which may be formed integral ywith the .top flanges. The flanges 36 extendlinwardlyzandfa're curved to form an upstanding Atube-like section. They are provided at the top edge thereof with a shoulder forming recess 31, which is-of :a size to receive the small attaching ring lmember H of the nursing unit. The A.flanges f3.6 :may be formed to provide a complete tube section or their ends may be spaced, as illustrated, to provide open sides. The flanges 36 will be arranged 'in spaced relation lengthwise of the rack when a plurality #of the units vare `provided fon a `single rack.

`While the nursing unit may fbe assembled by hand without the use of a tool for expanding vand holding the top of the bottle, fthe assembly is simplified and facilitated by using a tool of ithe character disclosed-in Serial. No.41,'554, which includes a band 2l (Figs. 4 and 5) adapted to `be inserted within the .margins of the bottle top and expanded :to grip the yinternal :surfaces thereof. With the bottle or container :thus h'eld lininouth expanded relation the :body fof the fcontainer I0 is :passed through the tube section formed :by the .flanges 36 on thesupportingrach lthe iconinecting ring Il having @first Vbeen 'positioned -in the .'recess 31.. The `'container is positioned inthe rack and the margins are manipulated ito lbring them intodownwardly "folded .relation -as shown in :Fig .5. This .may .be .accomplished by moving the band 2l vdownwardly v1untilfth'eilower edge of the 'band y2| is approximatelyfa't the upperedge of `the ring Il and then, while `:holding the body of the y'bottle :l0 against .further movement, fmoving .therband 2| `further downwardly around ythe periphery of the flange 36'on lthe :rack until it abuts 'against the inwardly extending A'horizontal flange portions .38. This movement vstrips thebag top from the-band 2l .and permits rem'oval'iof .the band 2l by expanding the same-and .moving 'it upwardly,'with the bag top remaininginreversely folded relation Lonithe connecting .ring Il.

`With the container :positioned-1in this fashion onthe'fiang'es :36 the milk-:or .other fluidiszplaced therein. The nipple .l2 .iis -then :positioned vwith the skirt in-the'upward'extendingsrelationiover the mouthof `thecontainer as indicated in Fig. .6, after which the 4skirt `l5 is reversed aor :turned downwardly over the folded portions of the bottleor container :l0 to Iclamp the container all] 'to the .ring `I-.l as shown in `flig. 7. The 4:unit is then ready to be removed vertically from the `rack foruse or it may be'stored while'onithe :rack and removed for `.use at a later time.

.Aniouter clamping lring or band lf3 may befapplied `over the :skirt vl5 of the `nipple l2 .to yfurther clamp the skirt I5 over the marginal yportions ofthe container I0 as indicated in Fig. 7 before the -entire assembled nursing `unit is .removed 'from 'the rack.

While Vspecific :details of construction have `been referred to in describing .the illustrated form of the invention rit will 44be understood that V other details may be employed withoutdeparting lfrom the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. A device for `use in assembling a nursing unit which nursing unit is characterized by a .flexiblefreceptacle adaptedto be secured to a ringilike connecting member bya nursingnipple having a reversible skirt thereon, said device com- 'zprising a generally rectangular hollow supporting frame and a hollow tube-like formation eX- tending upwardly of the top of the frame, said .tube-like formation having an outer recess ad- Jjacent the'upperfedge thereof forming a circular yshoulder vadapted to receive the ring-like connectingm'emb'erof fthe nursing unit with the body -of the receptacle extending downwardly within said tube-like formation and the marginal portions `of the receptacle folded outwardly around the connecting ringin position to receive the skirt of .thelnippleinaclamping relation over said marginal portions.

2. Astand for use in assembling a nursing unit which nursing unit is characterized by a flexible receptacle adapted to be secured to a rigid connecting ring :member by fa vnipple having -a re- Versible skirt thereon, said stand being adapted to'suppor't the ring `member and the receptacle while the nipple is attached thereto, A'said stand comprising I'a 'generally rectangular 'supporting frame havingfupstanding end'frame portions and a horizontal'connecting top cross frame portion, upwardly extending oppositelry disposed :curved ange memberson the top -cross -frarne portion, said "flange members having 4an inwardly offset shoulder forming -portion atthe'upperedgefthereof -adapted-to accommodate the ring member of the nursing unit, said top cross frame `portion beingopen betweensaid flange members'to permit the body of the `receptacle to hang downwardly therefrom in the frame and the .marginal portions of the Are'ceptacleto be .folded outwardly and downwardly oversaid ring member and said ange members wherebythenipplemay be positioned-'on the upperiedge of the ring vmember and the skirt of the :nipple reversely folded into clamping relation lover said marginal portions.

13. A lvstandfor v.use in'assembling 'asnursing .unit which :nursing unit is fcharacterizedby a flexible receptacle'adapedto .be secured lto a rigid ring like connectinglmember byfa .nipple `having a reversible .skirt thereon, :said stand 'comprising a generally `rectangular supporting frame, iup- Wardly extending /curved .flange 'members of substantial ldepth on .the top -of said frame, said flangeimembers having a-shouldered portion at theeupper edge'ther'eof forming an 'outwardly facing fcircularsupport adapted to receive the `ringlike connecting lmember of the nursing unit, said stand fbeing open --b'etween 1said lflange members to permit the 'body fof the receptacle .to .extend downwardly .within .isai'd fflange 4members 'and 'the marginal Iportions of Ith'e receptacle to be folded outwardlyand downwardly overlsaidflange'members and said iring-like Aconnecting member in position to receive the skirt of the nipple in clamping relation .over said marginal portions.

References Cited Vin the le of this `patent nageur 

